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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Only us and 2 friends at our upcoming secret wedding

68 replies

ThePeachLemur · 17/08/2025 18:15

We've been together 20 years this year and as we are now approaching our mid 50's, with a blended family (I have DD 26 from previous, other half has DS 28, from previous. We also have a DS 17, together). We have decided to get married. Decision made mostly due to legalities around the dreaded ' what happens if something happens to either of us'. We are very much happy as we are, but both feel its time to, well, put a ring on it. We have decided to ask our older, close friends to be our witnesses. My problem is I now feel very real 'mum guilt' over it all. We have talked over the years of just sodding off and doing it, so I dont think it'll come as any great shock to anyone. We've both been married before. My mum is elderly and I don't think she'd be upset. My brother much the same, though I think would be disappointed with no celebration. They live 400 miles away. In laws to be are down the road, but don't drive and are unaware we see partners sister ( a whole other subject of playing one sibling off against the other 🙄) and if we invite some people and not others, we run the risk of making a big 'thing"out of it all. Plus, there's the cost. We're not flush, not skint either, but would rather spend money on something we'd enjoy, like a decent holiday abroad next year, something we've not done for years. I want to have a nice wedding, meaningful but compact. We are taking the friends out for a nice meal after the ceremony. Its mid week, in late October. AIBU in not telling anyone? I'm rubbish at secrets and feel I'll be letting the kids down...help!

OP posts:
CountryMouse22 · 17/08/2025 18:18

It's your wedding and your life! Do whatever you do want to.

OtterlyMad · 17/08/2025 18:18

Will your children be upset that they weren’t aware and didn’t attend!? Based on the info you’ve provided, those are the only people whose opinions/feelings I would be concerned about.

Mumofteenandtween · 17/08/2025 18:21

Why friends and not the kids. I think it is more something to do as a family of 5.

Diarygirlqueen · 17/08/2025 18:23

I think it should be the five of you. Why are you choosing friends over your children?
I understand its your wedding and your life, but I would be deeply upset if my parents chose friends over me.

Ohlifelife · 17/08/2025 18:24

When I married my first husband I didn't tell my parents or family . He didn't tell his parentsor family apart from his brother whobwas one of the 2 witnesses at our wedding. The other being a mutual friend.
I had no guilt whatsoever. We had a wonderfully memorable day and wedding night together.
Ultimately the marriage is about you two and what is right for you and your dedication to each other. You arent doing anything maliciously or trying to cause upset. I wish you every happiness.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 17/08/2025 18:25

Why not ask your children?

OrigamiOwls · 17/08/2025 18:25

To echo others - why not have your children present rather than friends?

InterestedDad37 · 17/08/2025 18:26

Should we all buy virtual hats? 🤔😀

Lateforthetrain · 17/08/2025 18:27

I can't imagine choosing friends over our children in that scenario.

SlightAngle · 17/08/2025 18:29

Ohlifelife · 17/08/2025 18:24

When I married my first husband I didn't tell my parents or family . He didn't tell his parentsor family apart from his brother whobwas one of the 2 witnesses at our wedding. The other being a mutual friend.
I had no guilt whatsoever. We had a wonderfully memorable day and wedding night together.
Ultimately the marriage is about you two and what is right for you and your dedication to each other. You arent doing anything maliciously or trying to cause upset. I wish you every happiness.

Yes, this is pretty much exactly what we did, though it got out about five years later in some way I can't honestly remember. By which time we'd nearly forgotten ourselves. No regrets whatsoever.

caramac04 · 17/08/2025 18:31

Relatives x 2 did this so it’s not uncommon but it did upset their dc.
I did similar but dc and dgc were there and it was lovely.
I do think it’s not nice to exclude dc but take friends. However, I don’t know the ins and outs of your relationships and the logistics of a family wedding.
I hope your dc aren’t disappointed.

AirborneElephant · 17/08/2025 18:34

Why on earth are you not inviting your children? They will be really hurt, believe me I know from experience. You don’t have to invite any of the rest of the family but please invite your own children.

Pancakeflipper · 17/08/2025 18:41

My In-laws did similar at a similar age. Went off to a register office with 2 friends as witnesses. All their children understood but were genuinely upset they weren't invited. Theyd have loved to see their patents/step parents "officially united" . They didn't say anything but it was obvious.

DiligentStrawberry · 17/08/2025 18:43

your Children tho

SlightAngle · 17/08/2025 18:45

Pancakeflipper · 17/08/2025 18:41

My In-laws did similar at a similar age. Went off to a register office with 2 friends as witnesses. All their children understood but were genuinely upset they weren't invited. Theyd have loved to see their patents/step parents "officially united" . They didn't say anything but it was obvious.

So what, though? Their parents decided differently.

Pancakeflipper · 17/08/2025 18:48

SlightAngle · 17/08/2025 18:45

So what, though? Their parents decided differently.

Because they love their family.

The parents, with hindsight wished they'd invited their children (who were all pretty much adult).

JurassicPark4Eva · 17/08/2025 18:48

Normally I encourage people to do what they like for a wedding.

But you still have a child under the age of 18, so I think you need to factor in your three kids. They are the only ones that count here.

SlightAngle · 17/08/2025 18:50

Pancakeflipper · 17/08/2025 18:48

Because they love their family.

The parents, with hindsight wished they'd invited their children (who were all pretty much adult).

Well, I have no regrets about not inviting any of my family, who would also have wanted to be there to see us 'officially united', but that was precisely the reason we didn't invite them. I didn't want anyone around making a fuss about how special it all was. We wanted something plain, low-key, no-planning, no fuss, no flowers/photos/rings etc.

Cephalaria · 17/08/2025 18:53

We did similar. But we told parents a week before and they came to the registry office.
They were disappointed to not get a proper wedding but not as much as if we'd not told them.
However we were young and single. If you've both done it before it's different.
I'd still tell the kids though. Just a day or two before.

didgeridid · 17/08/2025 18:55

It's your wedding, you do it how you want to.
I personally would have the kids as witnesses and noone else but there's nothing wrong doing it your way

My mum and dad got married with Jody my dad's gran and my mum's friend there. They had a burger at wimpeye after!

Pancakeflipper · 17/08/2025 18:55

SlightAngle · 17/08/2025 18:50

Well, I have no regrets about not inviting any of my family, who would also have wanted to be there to see us 'officially united', but that was precisely the reason we didn't invite them. I didn't want anyone around making a fuss about how special it all was. We wanted something plain, low-key, no-planning, no fuss, no flowers/photos/rings etc.

I'm glad you've no regrets.

I'm just putting forward the experience of my DP and SIL's and BIL's. Every family dynamic is different

SnippySnappy · 17/08/2025 18:56

Normally I'm all for eloping but I think your kids (and possibly mum) would feel disappointed about the lack of invite. Is there a way of including them too - with the strict instruction that there's nobody else invited etc etc?

NotAMessiahJustAVeryNaughtyBoy · 17/08/2025 18:56

My husband and I did this last year with only my 2 teenagers from a previous relationship there, along with random office workers at the registry office as our witnesses. I’m all in favour of lowkey, just buggering off and getting on with it but I personally would have never done it without my kids there. As my husband said, legally and officially it was us 2 getting married but he also saw it as we were now all joined together including my older kids (and I was pregnant with our first joint baby at the time).

cheddercherry · 17/08/2025 19:11

My mum and my (now) stepdad did this last year (I’d already considered him my dad for decades anyway) and they had just us “kids” there.

No wider family came, they all knew but it wasn’t a big thing that anyone was offended by because it was literally immediate family. If my mum had got married and kept it secret though I’d have been hurt, not that I wasn’t there (they chatted about eloping and me and my stepbrothers were equally happy whatever they did!) but I’d have been upset if they’d kept it secret.

Beyondburnout · 17/08/2025 19:17

My friends mum did this when we were in our 20s she was hurt.